Improved process for desulphurizing ores



J. ABSTERDAM. PROCESS of' DBSULPHURIZING oRBs.

No. 52,120. Patented Jan. 23, 1866.l

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UNITED STATES I PATENITQEEISE;

JOHN ABSTERDAM, or NEW'YORK, NQY.

IMPROVED PROCESS FOR DESULPHUR'IZING omas',

by creating and maintaining a vacuum within` the retort or furnace containing thc-roasting or smelting ores, for thc purpose of facilitating the extraction or dilatation ot' the different ingredients or impurities contained in the same i second, also in creat-ing and maintaining a continuous vacuum within the interior ot' sa-id retort or furnace, for the purpose of creating an equalized supply of .air therein,

thence an equalized heatJ 'for either smelting orroasting the ores under a very intense heat, in order to obtain a perfect separation of the di'erent ingredients or impurities contained in the same; thirdalso in creating and maintaining a total vacuum within said retort or furl-lace containing said roasted or smelted ores, for the purpose of tnally extracting all the diii'erent ingredients or impurities contained in sa-id ores by distillin g them Aiat/vacuo.

In order that my process may be well understood,I have lnade a diagram' of an apparatus which may be practically employed in carry- -ing out my invcntion,'at the same time I do not confine my process to one particular shape or manner ot' constructing the apparatus that may be used for the same.

To enable others skilled in the art. to make and use my invention, I will proceed to` describe my process under its various manipulations.

I first provide myself with a retort or furnace capable ot' being closed air-tight, set in a grate-furnace, and provided with an exitpipe for carrying ott'v the gaseous product in the Ordinary manner. I then introduce a steam-pipe in the interior ot' said exit-pipe, having its ,end in the direction of the mouth of said exit-pipe, as seen at E. This steam-pipe conveys a supply ot' steam from a steam boiler or generator,- A, and is provided with a stopcock, C, for regulating the tlow of steam.

In order to carry out my invention I commence in illing the retort or yfurnace with small pieces of wood, sawdust, peat, turf, log, or coal, together with fragments of metallic ores in alternate layers. I afterward lute airtight the man-hole plate Il'. I light the tire in the grate-furnace K, underthe retort B, and as soon as gaseous vapors-aie issuing from the exit-pipe L, I vopeua little the stop-y cock U and let on a small How-ot' steam in the interior of said exit-pipe, and after the coiltents of the retort have attained a red heat I let on agreater iiow of steam, so as to produce a greater \-'acuum'within the retort in order to distil the gaseous product in cacao, and after the ores areroasted or reduced in this manner I 'withdraw all the contents from the retort, which consists of roasted or reduced ores and charcoal or coke, the gaseous product having been condensed and retained for illumination or combustion. But ift-he ores are of'such a nature as to require a very intensey heat for their roasting or reduction, th`en`,;instead of withdrawing the contents from the retort,'I simply open the orifices c b, which had remained closed during the roast-ing of the ores in charring or coking the wood, peat, or coal, and let on astill greater pressure of steam in the exit-pipe, in .order to cause arapi'd current ot' air to pass through the red-hot mass in the interior ot' the retort, thereby burning away the charcoal or coke contained therein, the air entering, ot' its own accord, throughthe said oritices a b. In burning away -t-he charcoal or coke so obtained in contact with the ores in the retort, I produce such an intense heat that I easily roast or reduce the ores that are of the most difiicult nature of reducing or roasting, and in this manner, by simply continuing the operation, the ores may be smelted as well as roasted. \Vhcn the ores are either roasted or sinelted in this manner I'also withdraw the contents ot' the retort, as in the previons operation, and introduce immediately another charge in the retort and continue again the operation, as before described.

I fit should be desired, instead ot introducing wood or coal, together with the ores in the retort, the ores may be introduced alone and afterward passin ga stream or streams of some hydrocarbon vapor through the whole mass while the ores are red hot." ln this case I dispense with the supply ot' air in the interior ol" the retort altogether, so as to prevent explosion.

The advantage ot' my process is as follows, Viz:

First, in roasting or smelting ores containing substances capable of dilatation or evaporation by heat, I facilitate their extraction by distilling them n vacuo.

' Second, in producin the blast required for reducing the ores by creating a vacuum within the retort, instead of forcing the air into it, as done in the ordinary way, I obtain a supply of air with an equalized pressure throughout the whole mass, thereby producing an equalized. heat, which isa matter ot' great importance in smelting.

Third,in roasting iron ores .with my process I impart a sufiieient amount of carbon tothe ore in depriving it of its oxygen, which enables me to 'melt said carbonizcd ore directly into cast-steel without any further process ot cementation.

Fourth, in roasting or smelting copper ores I very easily divest them of their sulphur, phosphorus, and arsenic.

Fifth, in roast-ingl ores of zinc, tin, lead, bismuth, antimony, Sto., they may be roasted, smelted, and oxidized by my process in one single operation with great facility. This' is a matter of considerable importance in treating those ores containing silver or gold, also for manufacturing metallic oxides.

Sixth, in smeltin g lead ores, where the gaseous vapors generated therefrom are now so deleterious to animal and xfegetable life, with my process the Whole steam and gas may be con densed together with any ordinary condenser and let the uncondensable air escape free from an v poisonous substances.

Seventh, all smelting-works hayevery highchimneys for carrying the deleterious gases out into ,the atmosphere-a veryexpensive structure-Which I dispense With-altogether.

It is'natural to understand from the abovedescribed process that I connect a condenser to the eXt-pipewhen the `gaseous products are to be condensed.

Having thus described my process, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent, is

The within-described process ot' roasting or snielting metallic ores in vacuo, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereot" I have hereunto set my signature.

JOHN ABSTERDAM.

Witnesses-z A. SHEDLocK, A. NEILL. 

